If you're just a casual listener, $20-$30 headphones will do just fine. If you listen to a lot of music though, it's worth investing in a nicely cushioned pair of higher-end headphones.
I used to think it was just an audiophile thing, but then I realized that I had to crank up the volume pretty high to get a satisfactory listening experience out of my $20 earbuds, when I was in the bus. I love music too much to put that kind of gamble on my eardrums, I want to keep my good hearing for as long as possible, so I invested in a pair of noise-cancelling headphones (Sony's MDR-NC# series, for those interested). About 50-60 bucks, nothing too high-end, but still.
They were good, but the noise cancelling cost me an AAA battery every month or so. I got a new pair last thursday, the K81-DJ model from AKG. Very sturdy, well-cushioned, comfortable, great frequency response in the highs and the lows. The cord is really long though, I have to strap a rubber band around it when I go out.
Still, if you listen to a lot of music and you care about your hearing, it's a really great pair of headphones. One of the best you can get in the $70-90 price range.
Log in to comment